Richard Roundtree, the trailblazing actor renowned for his portrayal of the ultra-smooth private detective in multiple "Shaft" films from the early 1970s, has passed away at the age of 81.
Richard Roundtree's longtime manager, Patrick McMinn, revealed that the actor had been battling pancreatic cancer and succumbed to the illness at his Los Angeles home on Tuesday. In 1993, Roundtree also faced a diagnosis of breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy.
Patrick McMinn stated, "Richard's contributions and career marked a significant turning point for African American leading men, and the profound impact he made on the industry cannot be overstated."
Born in New Rochelle, New York, Richard Roundtree is celebrated as the pioneering Black action hero. He gained prominence as one of the key figures in the blaxploitation genre, embodying the street-smart John Shaft character in the 1971 film directed by Gordon Parks. Remarkably, Roundtree's debut in feature films occurred at the age of 28, following his initial career as a model.
Roundtree's "Shaft" played a pivotal role in changing how Black films were perceived in Hollywood, which had largely overlooked Black actors, particularly for leading roles, at that time. Blaxploitation films primarily targeted African American audiences.
In the film, his character navigated the realm of criminals and was known for delivering memorable one-liners, such as "It's my duty to please that booty."
Reflecting on his role, Roundtree once remarked in a 2000 interview with The Associated Press, "What we were doing was a good, old Saturday afternoon shoot 'em up."
Isaac Hayes' iconic "Shaft" theme song, featuring the memorable line "You a bad mother– (Shut your mouth)," played a significant role in embedding the original movie in popular culture. The singer, who passed away in 2008, described the song as "the `shot heard round the world." His single not only won an Academy Award for Best Song in 1971 but also earned two Grammys the following year.
Following the success of the film, Roundtree returned to reprise his role in the sequels "Shaft's Big Score" in 1972 and "Shaft in Africa" in 1973. In the same year, he portrayed the astute detective once more in the CBS television series "Shaft," which had a brief seven-episode run.
In 2000, Roundtree revisited his iconic character in the "Shaft" film, which featured Samuel L. Jackson as the new Shaft. He played Jackson's uncle in this big-budget production aimed at a wider audience. Both actors reprised their roles in the 2019 film starring Jessie T. Usher.
Samuel L. Jackson paid tribute to Roundtree on social media, hailing him as the "prototype" and the "best to ever do it."
"SHAFT, as we know it, is and will always be his creation," Samuel L. Jackson stated about Richard Roundtree. "His passing leaves a deep hole not only in my heart but, I'm sure, in a lot of y'all's, too."
Throughout his remarkable 50-plus year career, Roundtree made appearances in several noteworthy films, including "Earthquake," "Man Friday" alongside Peter O'Toole, "Roots," "Maniac Cop," "Se7en," and "What Men Want" with Taraji P. Henson. He also left his mark with television roles in series like "Magnum P.I.," "The Love Boat," "Being Mary Jane," and "The Love Boat."
In 1995, Roundtree received a lifetime achievement award at the MTV Movie & TV Awards, commemorating his outstanding contributions to the entertainment industry.
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